Inter Farma is an Italian-Argentine owned healthy ingredients manufacturer. Although having supplied chondroitin sulfate to the United States, Latin America, Australia and Europe since 1996 for nutraceutical and pharmaceutical purposes, but obtaining the certification marks a watershed for the company - not least because it took a year-and-a-half to obtain.
The move reflects an increasing trend towards certification as a means of lending credibility within competitive ingredients markets such as that for chondroitin sulfate. For Inter Farma, the certification adds another string to its bow in differentiating its ingredient, which was previously a commodity product.
"We were supplying to the US for 10 years and every year the market is more competitive," Inter Farma CEO Diego Vincenti told NutraIngredients-USA. "In order to continue doing so, we need to be innovative and offer new values to our customers."
Along with glucosamine, chondroitin is one of the leading ingredients in joint health supplements.
According to Vincenti, Inter Farma is one of three manufacturers worldwide to supply USP certified chondroitin sulfate, with the other two firms operating in China and the US. As part of its certification process, USP audits manufacturing facilities for quality and consistency.
"... Quality is a must which is achieved on a daily basis in well designed processes," said Vincenti. "Considering this, we subscribed last year to the raw materials Verification Program launched by the USP, Good Manufacturing Practices, ICH Q7A - GMP for Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients."
Inter Farma said Dynatin is sourced only from Argentine and Uruguayan bovine that are BSE Free Risk Level 1.
Chondroitin Sulfate is found in human tissue and is essential to joint health. Along with glucosamine, it has been sold for use in dietary supplements geared towards arthritis.
"The US is the biggest market for us," said Vincenti. "Dietary supplements are not popular in South America."
Inter Farma's headquarters and facilities are located in Buenos Aires, Argentina and the company also has offices in Suffern, New York.